This information will hopefully assist you in connecting to LinkNet using an encrypted connection. This is a work in progress and will become more complete in the near future so please check back often.

Linknet servers utilize SSL encryption for client connections. All servers listen on port 7000 for incoming SSL connections. There are several methods you can utilize to connect using SSL. The method chosen depends entirely on the client and any additional tunnel software, if needed. Currently, the following clients offer native or builtin SSL support for connections:

• mIRC
• BitchX
• Xchat
• ScrollZ
• irssi
• KVirc

For clients that do not have built-in SSL support you will need to use an SSL tunnel program. There are two popular SSL tunnels in use now for IRC clients. A unix/linux/windows version that can be used is stunnel and a windows only version is winsslwrap. SSL connections are established by connecting thorugh a tunnel. The tunnel opens an SSL connection to an SSL enabled server, and then opens a local connection on your computer. The local connection is usually opened on port 6667, the default IRC port, or can be customised by the user. The client then only needs to connect to localhost (127.0.0.1), or basically to the local computer on the port that the SSL tunnel is listening on. An example command one might use in mIRC with an SSL tunnel program would be: /server localhost . If a port is not specified, the client will usually use the default port, 6667.

The following websites contain some instructions and screenshots that you might find useful in connecting to LinkNet using an SSL connection.

• Using SSL with mIRC
• TsuB mIRC SSL HOW-TO
• PCFiL's SSL Tutorial
• Stuntour: SSL Enabler for mIRC
• Stunnel -- Universal SSL Wrapper
• OpenSSL: The Open Source toolkit for SSL/TLS
• Pre-compiled OpenSSL packages for Windows

IRC bouncers with native or builtin SSL support for connections:

• psyBNC
• ZNC
• ezbounce